First Snow of the Season Could Hit These U.S. Cities This Week

Is winter knocking on the doorstep? Parts of the central and eastern U.S. could see the first snow of the season by the end of the week. An influx of noticeably colder temperatures will support the development of wintry precipitation, coming on the heels of an unseasonably warm start to the month of November for much of the Midwest and the Northeast. This is what you need to know.

Wintry Weather Poised to Roar Into the Central and Eastern U.S.

A drastic change in the weather is bearing down on the northeastern quadrant of the U.S. While a storm slicing through the northeastern U.S. over the weekend resulted in a few wet snowflakes in the higher terrains of New England, it has been mostly dry over the last few weeks in this part of the country.

That is all about to change later this week when a major weather maker pushes from west to east. Some areas of the Great Lakes and the Northeast will see scattered rain showers to start the week. But it will not be until the cold air arrives that wintry precipitation will be a possibility.

The same storm that is currently unleashing heavy rain and snow in the Pacific Northwest will make it to the central U.S. by midweek. The energy coming along with this storm from the western U.S. will meet up with cold air pushing down from Canada to lay the groundwork for significant snow for the Northeast and beyond.

The merger of the storm from the West and a separate system originating in Canada will clash with warm air coming up from the Gulf beginning on Wednesday or Thursday. While a lot can change between now and the end of the week, the latest forecast models signal that snow is possible across the Great Lakes, the Ohio Valley, the Appalachians, and New England. This greatest chance of snow will be between Thursday and Saturday.

Where to Expect the Greatest Chance of Snow

Several cities could see the flakes fly for the first time this season, including Pittsburgh and Syracuse. The mountainous terrain of the Poconos, Berkshires, and Catskills is also expected to see accumulation by the time the system wraps up.

Lower elevations in the interior Northeast and the central Appalachians may also see lighter snow amounts that accumulate on grassy areas. The mountainous region of West Virginia will be an area that could see a few inches out of this storm by the time it exits.

Temperatures will likely be too warm for snow to make an appearance along the major cities of the Interstate 95 corridor. Warm air coming off the Atlantic Ocean will limit the chance of wintry precipitation in New York City, Philadelphia, and Boston. Water temperatures in the 40s, 50s, and 60s in the Atlantic work to produce warmer breezes that flow to these metro areas.

A surge of frigid air is forecast to be pulled down from Canada and into the central and eastern portions of the U.S. on the back end of this storm. This will increase the threat of a hard freeze for parts of the Midwest, the Ohio Valley, and even as far as the interior Southeast beginning late Friday.

The upcoming storm is expected to be a slow mover. This means that the chance of temperatures diving down to the freezing mark will be around for several nights late this week and through the weekend. Gardeners in cities such as Nashville, Huntsville, and the northern suburbs of Atlanta will want to take the appropriate precautions to protect sensitive plants. The persistence of this cold will likely bring an end to the growing season for the central U.S.

We will continue to keep close tabs on this wintry weather pattern as it develops this week. Stay with us for all of the latest.

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